Cruachan Aí Centre, Tulsk, Co Roscommonpresents the first in a monthly series of Arts Evenings

From 5pm to 8pm, on Thurs 18th December 2008Wine Reception, Art Exhibition, with Poetry Reading (at 7pm) in the Coffee House @ Cruachan Aí

Featuring

Exhibition Opening: Works from The Nine Icons of Oweynagat, by Cathy CarmanLiterary Reading: Excerpts from The History House, by Kieran Furey

The Nine Icons of Oweynagat, by Cathy Carman

Oweynagat is a modified limestone cave said to be an entrance to the Otherworld, with associations to fertility and rebirth. The work in this exhibition is based on photographs I took in the Cave of the Cats, Uaimh na gCait. The nine icons gather up the cave’s mystical and psychic energy, while the photographs examine the same space from an empirical point of view.

Cathy Carman is an artist and sculptor who is widely acclaimed for figurative work in wood, stone and bronze; while more recent projects using digital imaging, natural materials, found objects, and sound. She is currently developing artwork as a response to the rural landscape and our emotional connection to it. This combines digital print and mixed media, in a form that embraces both sculpture and print. A member of the Arts Council’s Aosdana, and represented by Hillsborough Fine Art Gallery in Dublin; she continues to exhibit regularly both nationally, and internationally.

The History House, by Kieran Furey

A collection of poems centered on Strokestown House and the Irish Famine, but drawing also on life in modern Ireland; as well as on the poet's experiences of Africa, India and Latin America.

Kieran Furey was born in county Roscommon, and has been writing poetry, with a little prose, for three decades. Having spent his life between rural Ireland, provincial Irish towns, Dublin, and abroad - in Latin America, Africa, India, Greece, the UK and the United States - he now lives in Longford, with his wife and son. Kieran’s first book, Nobody's Neighbours, was published by Veritas in Dublin in 1979. He went on to self-publish twenty books or booklets of poetry, short stories, travel experiences and humour, and his work has featured in Irish and international media. Prizes include the overall Poem of Europe Award in the 2006 Feile Filiochta, and the Francis Ledwidge Poetry Award (Traditional Category).

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All featured works are available to buy at the Cruachan Aí Centre, Tulsk, Co. Roscommon.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

In conjunction with the re-launch of theCoffee House @ Cruachan Aíin Tulsk, Co Roscommon

We are pleased to announce a Coffee Morning, in aid of SELF HELP AFRICA.

On Friday morning, 21st November, from 10am til 2pm, all coffee proceeds will go to the Self Help Africa fund raising campaign (www.selfhelpafrica.com) to contribute towards the county target of €35,000.

There will be reading from selected works of local writers and poets at 12 noon.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

This is a good article from last year, sourced from a Medieval resource blog...

Layers of history at medieval site.31 August 2007Irish Times

Excavations at the remains of a medieval castle in Tulsk, Co Roscommon, have unearthed the castle latrine and a pair of dice made out of antler or bone about 500 years ago, writes Marese McDonagh.

Archaeologists have uncovered layers of history at the site, including part of a tower house castle and a 16th century military structure linked to the notorious Sir Richard Bingham, who was governor of Connacht during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I at the end of the 1500s. According to Dr Niall Brady, who led the Discovery Programme project, the finds will provide valuable insight into the lives of Gaelic chieftains and their households during the late medieval period, a facet of Irish history which he feels has been largely ignored.

Excavation at the ring fort in Tulsk began in 2004 and a series of summer digs have taken place since then, with this year's yielding a number of significant finds, including two ring pins, possibly used as clasps for cloaks, dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Tulsk was the base of the O'Conor Roe chieftains and the discovery of part of a medieval castle is regarded as a milestone in the search for more information about rural areas which were controlled by chieftains and not by the British crown from the 12th to the 16th centuries. The finds connected with Bingham, who was known as "the flail of Connacht", were a "bonus", as they had not been expected at this site, according to Dr Brady. "We found musket shot, English coins, iron arrowheads, evidence of the presence of soldiers which had nothing to do with domesticity," he pointed out.

The archaeologists believe that the tower house castle was in ruins by the time of Bingham's reign as governor of Connacht as several stones from the tower were reused in the 16th century buildings. Situated on top of an earthen mound or ring fort, the tower of the castle, with its commanding views over the northern approaches to Tulsk, would have represented a clear statement of the power and status of the local Gaelic lord. The excavation suggests that the tower was rebuilt a number of times right up to the late 16th century, when Tulsk was garrisoned.

Despite the persistent rain, which made the summer dig more difficult, the team managed to excavate into the ditch surrounding the castle, where they uncovered the medieval garderobe, or latrine, of the castle. Appropriately, the excavation was based beside the Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre in Tulsk, the focal point of one of the most important Celtic royal sites in Europe, with a reputed 60 national monuments within a four-mile radius. It was the seat of the kings of Connacht and is also believed to have been home to the warrior queen, Maeve, who launched the famous cattle raid of Cooley (Táin Bó Cúalinge) from this area. The Washington Post recently described the site as "a Machu Picchu not of stone but of thatch-covered wooden palaces when Helen of Troy was just a kid".

Dr Brady said he hoped that as the excavations ended for another year these most recent finds would reinforce the importance of Tulsk as a key heritage attraction. The ring fort site his team is exploring stands beside a site known as Castleland, where it is believed another castle was built for the O'Conors in the early 1400s.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Discovery Programme’s fourth Open Day at the site of its primary archaeological excavations in Tulsk, Co. Roscommon, will be held on Thursday 24th July from 2pm to 5pm. Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre is delighted to host Ireland’s archaeological research institute’s annual event, and help with the organization of free guided tours and access to the centre and the excavation site at Tulsk Fort.

The Discovery Programme’s work, funded by the Heritage Council, has been examining the nature of Gaelic Lordship and settlement; focussing since 2003 on the history and development of Tulsk, as a principal residence of the O’Conor Rua lords.

Their 2008 season has exposed a series of critical strata that now more fully than ever explain the dating and development of the site. This year’s work has uncovered the ring fort that underlies the medieval tower. This summer’s work has also shown that the tower was built in 3 main phases, with the earliest phase being a stout blocky squared building whose walls were 9ft thick.

On Thursday 24th, the team will be leading guided tours to the public around the excavated features, which will begin from the Cruachan Aí Centre every 45 minutes. There will also be displays of the artefacts and environmental remains which have been found.

Families, groups, and individual visitors are all very welcome. This is a free event. There will be quizzes and games for kids, and a wine reception afterwards. Please be sure to bring appropriate weather gear, in case we have a little rain on the day.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

If so call along to the CruachanAi Heritage Centre on Wednesdays between 1pm and 2pm, where Mary Carr will be here to teach the basics of spoken Irish.

You do not need to say anything whilst there you can just listen and take in the beauty of the language and who knows after a few weeks you may find yourself recognising words and you might even feel comfortable with the spoken word yourself.

The discovery programme guys are up in Dublin presenting papers at the world archaeology conference and the mound is breathing a sigh of relief (but not for long) as next week sees the commencement of the second session.

Session one has uncovered yet more areas of interest including a grain drying kiln, an area covered with slag from metalworking, a potential boundary from an early christian ring fort and portions of a large decorated rotary quern stone.

If you are interested in seeing the dig in action you are most welcome to call into the Cruachan Ai visitors centre. If you would like a full run down on the dig then call over on the 24th of July.

This is the open day when tours will be taking place from 2pm. It is a great opportunity to get a full explanation of the work being carried out and the further aims of the Discovery Programme.

To all the volunteers from session one, thanks a million for your help and dedication. A sense of humour is essential when the rain is spilling from the heavens and you guys certainly made me laugh (keep singing the song Sydney).

I will endeavour to get some photos uploaded in the next few days so keep tuning in for updates.

Monday, June 23, 2008

A community celebration of the first (official!) day of Summer, hosted by the CruachanAí Heritage Centre, took place on Saturday 21st June, the Summer Solstice.

CruachanAí organized a procession and Fire performance display to entertain and educate, while respecting the importance and integrity of one of the oldest and best preserved of Celtic sites in Europe.

Considering the day's rain, there was a respectable number of attendees gathered in the car park off the main N5 Tulsk to Westport road, at 6pm. Families were very welcome, and it was lovely to see the interest of so many kids and teenagers. The ages ranged from a very excited 2 year old with a disturbingly accurate talent for wielding his plastic sword (ouch!), to a rather more solemn 16 year old who graciously consented to appear in full Gaelic garb.

On this day, the daytime hours are at a maximum, and darkness is at a minimum. In times gone by, communities gathered to celebrate the sun at its strongest on this day; in the hope that the light, heat and fiery influence would spread across the land and carry on through the coming months. It is officially the first day of summer, but is referred to as Midsummer because it is roughly the middle of the growing season throughout much of Europe.

Rathcroghan main mound is considered by archaeologists to have been a major assembly point, most probably used for ceremonial purposes, and is well known as the Celtic Royal site at the heart of ancient Connaught. Midsummer is one of the four Irish Quarter days that divide the official calendar. Many towns and cities have 'Midsummer Carnivals' with fairs, concerts and fireworks either on or on the weekend nearest to Midsummer. In some rural spots, bonfires are occasionally lit on hilltops.

Of course, there were no bonfires lit on this hilltop, but the torches carried by attendees were enough to lend the energy of live fire. This was even before the fabulous addition by Fran De'Venney, in full Gaelic warrior battle dress, of the 'Faol Lia' Performing Theatre Group.

Starting in the car park, attendees processed across the ground to the sound of a walking drumbeat and the chant of Samhradh - the Irish word for Summer. After the base of the mound was encircled, we entered by the Eastern indent, and circled the hill top twice Deiseal (clockwise, or 'sunwise' in the old literature) , ending in a loose ring around the central point.

From here, with his double ended fire staff ablaze and twirling, Fran encouraged the heat and life force of the sun at its height, represented by the Fire he wields, out to each of the four Provinces of Ireland. He made reference as Gaeilge to the traditional attributes of each, according to the literary source 'The Settling of the Manor at Tara' (Prosperity to the East, Wisdom to the West, Music to the South... substituting Warrior Courage for the too oft repeated Battle, to the North), and the ideal of Sovereignty and Kingship in the Centre. As the centre is wherever you are standing, and Cruachan has long held reputation as the sacred centre for the burial and inauguration of Kings (yes, even before Tara!), this all seemed particularly appropriate. As did leaving by the Western indent, trouping past the thistles and the sheep carcass that so horrified and yet delighted the children!

It was great to see enthusiastic community participation at a time and place that would have been such an important annual focal point to our ancestors. Also great was the fact that although we were blustered at and misted on, the deluges apparent countrywide over the height of summer weekend held off long enough for us to salute the sun. Hopefully it will herald more sun to come!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

What an educating week, after watching the guys getting back down to last years levels I finally got the chance to spend a week on site trowelling. The first thing I learned is that life is not always fair.

I was helping a guy called Duggan in a slot trench for a couple of days. Various layer changes were coming to light as well as a possible early christian boundary but there were no artifacts showing up in the material.

Wouldn't you know it, Duggan flew back to the States and the next day I uncovered a possible copper fastener and Jenny who was also in the trench found a really nice flint thumb scraper; hard luck Duggan, still if you had not sweated to create the trench we would not have found the artifacts.

There are a wide variety of pieces coming to light including a myriad of animal bones that were used as fill, antlers, lots of slag from an area probably used for metalworking, bone needles and buttons, coins and much much more.Along with the artifacts building boundaries continue to be exposed, so the Discovery Programme are starting to get a really comprehensive picture of the way the building morphed over its lifetime.

Lets hope that the weather is kind to us next week and further progress is made otherwise I will be using the flooded slot trench to improve my front crawl.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Welcome back to the Discovery Programme led by Dr Niall Brady and the team.

For the past four years the DP have been unearthing a medieval tower house sited on an earlier earthwork that may be on a prehistoric horizon.

The aim of the DP is to discover more about the medieval Gaelic lordship in rural Ireland.

The team have discovered that the tower house was approximately 10 x 20 metres in size and comes after an earlier occupation of 10th to 11th century.Several episodes of demolition and rebuilding took place over the subsequent centuries and at one stage it was occupied in the 16th century when Tulsk was garrisoned by Sir Richard Bingham ,Queen Elizabeth 1st's governor to Connacht.

Amongst other areas on the site last year the team focused heavily on the garderobe chute (the toilet), sifting and floating the "material" found to extract seeds that our ancestors had expelled.

Why the hell would you want to do that? you may ask. Well, if you can study the seeds expelled you have a good indication of the carbohydrates in the early diet. The garderobe chute was also the kitchen waste disposal so if you look at the animal bones that were thrown out you can also surmise the protein diet.

A dirty job but well worth the effort.

At the moment the guys are removing the back fill placed there at the end of last season to protect the site. Next week will see the arrival of the volunteers from all over Europe and North America so there will be a great buzz about the place.

MODULE D6pm at the Percy French Hotel: Kelly Fitzgerald MA - Meadhbh and the Young Warrior7pm at the Percy French Hotel: Dinner8.30pm Caroline Madigan - After Dinner Speaker9.15pm Trad Music Session - George Eggleston & Andy Gowan10pm Close for the night

Module F is an optional extra for adults – an example of workshops designed for children and attended by local community and schools – to provide the opportunity to observe first hand ‘inspiration’ of the next generation.

MODULE F2pm at Cruachan Aí Centre:Buffet Lunch3pm Liam Farrell - "How to Get Started in Writing"

Irish Culture & Heritage: Inspiration for the Next GenerationThe Cruachan School was founded following the success of the Charles O’Conor of Ballinagare International Conference. This successful event was run in 2006 by Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre in conjunction with; NUI Galway, Clonalis House, and the Abbey Hotel, Roscommon.

Following traditions established by the ancient Druid school of the Cruachan (Rathcroghan) complex, the Cruachan School aims to explore and develop all aspects of Irish culture and heritage.

Our 2008 Conference will be held on Friday 16th, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th May in the Percy French Hotel, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, and the Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre, Tulsk, Co. Roscommon.

There will be talks and workshops, field trips, and musical entertainment throughout the weekend. The cost is €190 for the entire weekend, including dinner on Saturday night, or bookings can be made in smaller portions; with a cost of €40 per module.

Following in the footsteps of historic Roscommon literary figures such as Douglas Hyde and Percy French, we examine how to attract and inspire our children’s love of Irish culture and heritage through literature, art, drama, and mythology; while we can observe these techniques in action with youth workshops on Sunday afternoon.

Experts in the education of Irish youth such as Kelly Fitzgerald MA (Expert in Old Irish and Literature, University College Dublin), Catherine Simon (of Roscommon Co. Youth Theatre, and National Assoc. of Youth Drama) and Colmán Ó Raghallaigh (Award winning bilingual author of children’s books and graphic novels), will explore how to inspire the next generation of Ireland with an appreciation of our heritage and culture.

NOTE: THIS POST IS FROM 2008! Some of the listings may be out of date! For up to date accommodation listings please see the 'sleep' section on www.VisitRoscommon.comAccommodation within convenient driving distance of Tulsk/StrokestownTulsk
Anne's B&B, Tulsk Village 071 9639011 or 087 8208534
Tulsk Lodge B&B Ardkeenagh, Tulsk 071 9639902 (Rooms en-suite)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre is an access point hotspot for your Wi-Fi compatible technology. Why not enjoy a delicious cup of gourmet coffee and a home-made cake, soup and a sandwich, or a freshly prepared full dinner, in O'Neills Café while you browse our broadband completely free?

FYI: What is a Wi-Fi Internet Hotspot?

A hotspot is a location where the general public can get connected to the internet at no cost. At a Wi-Fi hotspot you can use a laptop, WiFi phone, or other suitable portable device to access the Internet. Of the millions of laptops, PDAs, and other emerging Wi-Fi devices sold per year for the last few years, most now include the Wi-Fi feature built in.

Free to use hotspots can be found at restaurants, train stations, airports, libraries, coffee shops, bookshops, supermarkets and other public places. Many schools and colleges have wireless networks.

To find a hotspot point near you, visit http://www.wififreespot.com/ or just stop in to the centre as you pass by on your way up the N5 (Dublin, Longford, Westport road) or the N61 (Athlone, Roscommon, Sligo road).

Monday, January 28, 2008

Although this Heritage Centre is run privately by a Limited Company, the Tulsk Action Group are a local community venture and could not continue without the help received from various state bodies and grant schemes. Pobal's mission is to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality through integrated social and economic development within communities. Pobal is a not-for-profit company with charitable status that manages programmes on behalf of the Irish Government and The EU.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

We organize a weekly Writers Group which runs every Wednesday morning from 10am - 12noon.

The aim is to provide support, inspiration, advice & networking to established writers & beginners alike. Facilitating these meetings is the centre manager, Lora O’Brien; a non-fiction author and freelance writer who has been published both nationally and internationally.

The group costs just €5 per session, and there is a café on site serving gourmet coffees and home bakes, as well as more substantial fare. All writers group attendees receive a 10% discount on the extensive range of books stocked in the Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre craft and gift shop!

Guided Tours of Exhibition centre and archaeological/historical sitesAncient home to Queen Maeve of Connaught, nemesis to CuChulainn of Ulster!Starting point (and bloody climax) of the famed Cattle Raid of CooleyOver 200 historical sites situated in the vast complex of Cruachan

Monday, January 7, 2008

We realise that any fair is only as good as its Stallholders, so we at CruachanAí make a special effort to anticipate and facilitate your needs. Our usual stall fee is just €35, which is in itself significantly lower than the usual €50+ we often see at rural fairs. We also offer regular discounts even on this low rate.

Why? Well, we understand that there is no guarantee as to how many people come through the door, and what they will purchase, on any given day. We are seeking to build up a reputation for quality events and interesting days out, on a very regular basis, so we support our stallholders and those who wish to offer classes, workshops, and special events by NOT simply taking their money and leaving them to sink or swim on the day.

The holistic approach is important to us, as is building quality relationships with our stallholders and other event providers. We will work with you on a deal that best suits all concerned.

1926, coined, along with holism, from Greek holos "whole". In reference to the theory that regards nature as consisting of wholes. Holistic medicine is first attested 1960.Emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts. Concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts: holistic medicine; holistic ecology.

Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre, situated in Tulsk village, County Roscommon, on the main N5 Dublin to Westport road, are proud to announce the launch of a series of events which will include a weekly Writer’s group, workshops, talks and tours, as well as our regular Holistic and Craft fairs.

Ideally located in the spiritual heartland of Connaught, the Royal Celtic site of Cruachan has long been a gathering point for artisans, craftspeople, and keepers of ancient hidden knowledge.

We bring together a broad range of talented angel/tarot card readers and spiritual practices; with Massage Therapy, Reiki, Psychic Mediumship, Bach Flower Essences, Tantra, Homeopathy, Goddess Therapy, world renowned sculpture and art work... all of this, side by side with gourmet coffees and home made foods served on site in O’Neills Café.

Upcoming Dates:Second Saturday of every month.

January 12th, February 9th, March 8th, April 12th.

Fair Opening Times11am to 5pm

Admission is Free to the public on these dates, Stallholders will charge for their services.